Personalized Gift Card Templates With Digital Images

ABSTRACT

A customizable gift card that may be designed using a plurality of design templates that have modifiable fields and layouts. The gift cards may be designated for use at one or more stores based on contract arrangements between the stores and a vendor of the gift card. The gift card may be adapted to be used exclusively at the designated stores. At least one template field of at least a portion of a plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set. A user provided photo is printed on the gift card and is selected by the user from either a digital photo album on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/586,391, filed Oct. 25, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a system for and method of creatingcustomized gift cards at a point of sale location.

BACKGROUND

Existing gift cards are generally not provided with aesthetic designexcept for their load value (i.e., amount placed on the card) and/orcompany logos. While some gift cards may include patterns or designs onthe card stock, these patterns are provided by stock suppliers that arepre-printed on the material of the gift card and are not selected forprinting by the customer. Moreover, a gift card customer may beunaccustomed to thinking of gift card design when purchasing. Forexample, gift card customers may simply consider how much to put on thegift card and which gift card stock to use from the limited selectionavailable at a retail store when purchasing the gift card. This may beattributed to the association of gift card purchases as last minute giftideas or impulse purchasing, both of which involve a quick transactionpurchase. In this situation, the customer may simply be concerned withthe ability to place a value on the card to be used as a gift. However,providing the opportunity for customers to design the aesthetic look ofa gift card may persuade customers to view gift cards as moresubstantially meaningful gift items and increase gift card sales.

Also, gift cards may be used for generating additional sales besides thesales of a single retail outlet. For example, a net increase may berealized between two stores when gift cards are vended at one store thatmay be redeemed at a second company's store(s). For example, twocompanies that sell complimentary products may both experience increasedsales by vending a gift card at one company's store that is redeemableat the other company's store or at both companies' stores. Thus, someretail companies, such as pharmacies, may desire to cross promote giftcard sales with other companies.

One arrangement for multiple gift cards may be to simply carry multiplecards that are adapted to be used on another company's retail computernetwork. However, existing retail stores generally must address limiteddisplay and inventory space within their stores for the products thatthey carry. Because gift cards may be considered non-staple products,these gift cards may have lower priority when vying for store spaceallocation. Thus, existing retails stores may be limited in the numberof cross selling arrangements that they may be involved in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The claimed method and system provides a customizable gift card.Creating the gift card may include storing a plurality of designtemplates in a computer-readable medium, the templates including aplurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields; displayinga set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templatesto a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portionof the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer basedon a vendor based rule set; and receiving a set of inputs from acustomer including a contract store selection; a design templateselection; a gift card amount, wherein the gift card amount correspondsto a payment received from the customer by a vendor; and a user providedphoto selected by the user from either a digital photo album account onthe Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner ata point of service location, or one or more user provided photos storedon a computer-readable medium specific to the user. The method alsoincludes printing the gift card based on the selected design template,the contract store selection, and the user provided photo selected bythe user; and activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at theselected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift cardamount.

Also disclosed is a system for selling customized gift cards thatincludes a plurality of retail stores under contract with a gift cardvendor, the plurality of retail stores connected by a network computersystem; a database for storing a plurality of design templates, thetemplates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the pluralityof fields; and a first computer of the network computer system fordisplaying a listing of the plurality of contract retail stores and aset of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at leastone design template field of at least a portion of the plurality ofdesign templates are modifiable by a customer based on a rule set. Thesystem also includes an input device to receive a set of inputs from acustomer including a design template selection, a contract storeselection, and a purchase amount, wherein the purchase amount is basedon a payment received; wherein at least one field of the selectedtemplate comprises a logo of the selected contract store and wherein therule set comprises a rule for a parameter of the logo field whichprevents overlapping a second field over the logo field. A printingdevice is included for printing the gift card based on the selecteddesign template, the contract store selection, and the purchase amount.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1, 2, 3A and 3B illustrate block diagrams of a computing systemthat may operate in accordance with the described embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a process for customizing a giftcard;

FIG. 5-7 illustrates a set of displays that may be used to direct acustomization process in one embodiment at a gift card vending point ofsale;

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a gift card template for a frontface;

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a gift card back face;

FIG. 10 illustrates a general design template selection display; and

FIG. 11 illustrates a display for listing design templates based on atext input.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the following text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legalscope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forthat the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construedas exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment sincedescribing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if notimpossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined inthis patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ ishereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intentto limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication,beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not beinterpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in anysection of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To theextent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent isreferred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning,that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader,and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implicationor otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element isdefined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recitalof any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim elementbe interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixthparagraph.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a data network 10 including a firstgroup of stores 20 operatively coupled to a network computer 30 via anetwork 32. The plurality of stores 20 may be located, by way of examplerather than limitation, in separate geographic locations from eachother, in different areas of the same city, or in different states. Thenetwork 32 may be provided using a wide variety of techniques well knownto those skilled in the art for the transfer of electronic data. Forexample, the network 32 may comprise dedicated access lines, plainordinary telephone lines, satellite links, combinations of these, etc.Additionally, the network 32 may include a plurality of networkcomputers or server computers (not shown), each of which may beoperatively interconnected in a known manner. Where the network 32comprises the Internet, data communication may take place over thenetwork 32 via an Internet communication protocol.

The network computer 30 may be a server computer of the type commonlyemployed in networking solutions. The network computer 30 may be used toaccumulate, analyze, and download store data. For example, the networkcomputer 30 may periodically receive data from each of the stores 20indicative of information pertaining to a prescription order, billinginformation, employee data, etc. The stores 20 may include one or morefacility servers 36 that may be utilized to store information for aplurality of customers/employees/accounts/etc. associated with eachfacility.

Although the data network 10 is shown to include one network computer 30and three stores 20, it should be understood that different numbers ofcomputers and pharmacies may be utilized. For example, the network 32may include a plurality of network computers 30 and hundreds of stores20, all of which may be interconnected via the network 32. According tothe disclosed example, this configuration may provide severaladvantages, such as, for example, enabling near real time uploads anddownloads of information as well as periodic uploads and downloads ofinformation. This provides for a primary backup of all the informationgenerated in the process of updating and accumulating store data.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one possible embodiment of the networkcomputer 30 shown in FIG. 1. The network computer 30 may have acontroller 50 that is operatively connected to a database 52 via a link56. It should be noted that, while not shown, additional databases maybe linked to the controller 50 in a known manner.

The controller 50 may include a program memory 60, a processor 62 (maybe called a microcontroller or a microprocessor), a random-access memory(RAM) 64, and an input/output (I/O) circuit 66, all of which may beinterconnected via an address/data bus 70. It should be appreciated thatalthough only one microprocessor 62 is shown, the controller 50 mayinclude multiple microprocessors 62. Similarly, the memory of thecontroller 50 may include multiple RAMs 64 and multiple program memories60. Although the I/O circuit 66 is shown as a single block, it should beappreciated that the I/O circuit 66 may include a number of differenttypes of I/O circuits. The RAM(s) 64 and programs memories 60 may beimplemented as semiconductor memories, magnetically readable memories,and/or optically readable memories, for example. The controller 50 mayalso be operatively connected to the network 32 via a link 72.

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of one possible embodiment of severalcomponents located in one or more of the stores 20 from FIG. 1. Althoughthe following description addresses the design of the stores 20, itshould be understood that the design of one or more of the stores 20 maybe different than the design of other stores 20. Also, each store 20 mayhave various different structures and methods of operation. It shouldalso be understood that the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A illustrates someof the components and data connections present in a store, however itdoes not illustrate all of the data connections present in a typicalstore. For exemplary purposes, one design of a store is described below,but it should be understood that numerous other designs may be utilized.

The stores 20 may have a facility server 36, which includes a controller80, wherein the facility server 36 is operatively connected to aplurality of client device terminals 82 via a network 84. The network 84may be a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), or anyother type of network readily known to those persons skilled in the art.The client device terminals 82 may also be operatively connected to thenetwork computer 30 from FIG. 1 via the network 32.

Similar to the controller 50 from FIG. 2, the controller 80 may includea program memory 86, a microcontroller or a microprocessor (MP) 88, arandom-access memory (RAM) 90, and an input/output (I/O) circuit 92, allof which may be interconnected via an address/data bus 94. As discussedwith reference to the controller 50, it should be appreciated thatalthough only one microprocessor 88 is shown, the controller 80 mayinclude multiple microprocessors 88. Similarly, the memory of thecontroller 80 may include multiple RAMs 90 and multiple programsmemories 86. Although the I/O circuit 92 is shown as a single block, theI/O circuit 92 may include a number of different types of I/O circuits.The RAM(s) 90 and programs memories 86 may also be implemented assemiconductor memories, magnetically readable memories, and/or opticallyreadable memories, for example.

The client device terminals 82 may include a display 96, a controller97, a keyboard 98 as well as a variety of other input/output devices(not shown) such as a scanner, printer, mouse, touch screen, track pad,track ball, isopoint, voice recognition system, digital camera, etc.Each client device terminal 82 may be signed onto and occupied by anemployee to assist them in performing their duties or by a customer toinitiate a store service. Employees and/or customers may sign onto aclient device terminal 82 using any generically available technique,such as entering a user name and password. If an employee is required tosign onto a client device terminal 82, this information may be passedvia the link 84 to the facility server 36, on that the controller 80will be able to identify which employees are signed onto the system andwhich client device terminals 82 the employees are signed onto. This maybe useful in monitoring the employees' productivity. If a customer signsonto a client device terminal, the customer may be assigned a usernameand password that may be used to record usage data and/or payment data.

Typically, facility servers 36 store a plurality of files, programs, andother data for use by the client device terminals 82 and the networkcomputer 30. One facility server 36 may handle requests for data from alarge number of client device terminals 82. Accordingly, each facilityserver 36 may typically comprise a high end computer with a largestorage capacity, one or more fast microprocessors, and one or more highspeed network connections. Conversely, relative to atypical facilityserver 36, each client device terminal 82 may typically include lessstorage capacity, a single microprocessor, and a single networkconnection.

FIG. 1 also illustrates a kiosk 25 that may form a portion of the datanetwork 10. The kiosk 25 may be directly coupled to the network 32 or,alternatively, may be a client device terminal coupled to a facilityserver 36, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. In one embodiment, the kiosk maybe disposed in the facilities or stores 20. The kiosk 25 may include adisplay 96, a controller 97, a keyboard 98 as well as a variety of otherinput/output devices such as a scanner, credit card reader, printer,mouse, touch screen, track pad, track ball, isopoint, voice recognitionsystem, digital camera, electronic storage device reader (e.g., flashdrive interface or magnetic media reader), etc. Each kiosk 25 may beplaced at any location that provides a suitable connection to thenetwork 32, not necessarily a location. The kiosk may be accessed by anycustomer.

FIG. 3B illustrates a possible kiosk embodiment that may be used in theclaimed system. The kiosk 25 includes a housing and base portion 26which houses a computer system having software thereon that controls theoperation of the kiosk 25 in the manner described herein. The computersystem may be any suitable type of computer system. Mounted on thehousing portion 26 is a computer monitor 28 having a display with atouchscreen 29. One or more speakers and microphones 32 may also beprovided on the kiosk 25 at any suitable location. A camera 31 may bemounted on the top of the computer monitor 28 and may be oriented tovideo a customer standing at the kiosk 25. The speaker, microphone 32and camera 31 may comprise a videoconference system for the kiosk 25.

A card reader, such as a credit card reader 33, may also be operativelymounted on the side of the computer monitor 28. A handset 34, preferablyin the form of a telephone handset, may also be mounted on the kiosk 25for use by the customer when additional privacy is needed. The kiosk 25may further include a scanner 27 operable to scan documents and photos.The kiosk 25 may further include a set of interfaces 41 that are adaptedto couple to various portable media devices such as flash memories,floppy disks, CD-ROMS, etc. The computer system, monitor,videoconference system, card reader, handset and document scanner mayall functionally interconnect to perform the functions described herein.The kiosk 25 may be powered by a conventional power outlet 36 using apower cord 35. The computer system may also include a communicationsystem that is operable to communicate over any desired communicationsmedium using communication line 37. For example, the communication line37 may be connected, via outlet 38, to a T1 telecommunications line forhigh-speed communications (e.g., to a network). A motion sensor 39 mayalso be provided on the kiosk 25, for example, to activate the kioskwhen a customer is near.

FIG. 4 illustrates a process for customizing a gift card. This processmay be implemented by any one of the computers illustrated in FIGS.1-3B. The computers may execute program instructions that are adapted toperform the methods of FIG. 4. In one embodiment, a computer used toexecute the program instructions may also be a standalone computer. Thecomputer may be a kiosk, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3B.Alternatively, the computer may be a personal computer at the home of acustomer which may or may not be connected to the Internet.

FIG. 4 illustrates that a plurality of design templates may be providedto a computer system at block 401. For example the design templates maybe loaded on a computer-readable medium that the computer system hasaccess to, such as a central database 52. The design templates may bepre-designed and then placed in computer storage for access by variouscomputing devices 96 such as gift card vending devices or kiosks 25.Alternatively, the design templates may be preloaded to each of aplurality of standalone computing devices.

A computer (e.g., computer 96) may display a set of contract stores forredeeming the gift card at block 402. In this case, a retail companyvending the gift card may establish an agreement between itself and oneor more contract stores, wherein each contract store agrees to honor apurchase at the contract store based on the amount on the gift card ifthe contract store is designated by the gift card. Thus, gift cards maybe created for multiple contract stores in which they may be redeemed.It should be noted that the contract store may also include any storethat is affiliated with a vending company, e.g., any retail store ownedand/or operated by the vending company. Process block at block 402allows a pharmacy retail store to create gift cards for redemption withthe particular retail store (or affiliate stores of the vendor company)and/or for third party contract stores. As discussed above, this may bebeneficial for a number of reasons. For example, a pharmacy retail storemay find it beneficial to enter into an agreement with a second retailstore to redeem each others cards because cross selling would bebeneficial to both parties.

A set of the plurality of design templates may be displayed to a user atblock 403. The customer may then select a design template to be printed.Depending on the user's desire to customize his gift card, at least onetemplate field of each one of the plurality of design templates may bemodifiable by a customer based on a rule set (to be discussed furtherbelow).

The customer may provide a set of inputs at block 404, including acontract store selection, a design template selection, and a gift cardamount, where the gift card amount may correspond to a payment receivedfrom the customer by a vendor (e.g., at the kiosk or at a counter). Whenone or more fields of the gift card template are modifiable, thecomputing device may also accept a field modification as an input. Theinputs may be received using a computer interface such as a keyboard 98or mouse (not shown). The inputs may also be received at a kiosk 25,such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3B. Alternatively, the inputs may bereceived via any other computer connected to the Internet.

The customization process may then involve printing the gift card basedon the selected design template and the contract store selection (and/ormodifications, if any) 406, and activating the gift card for redemptionexclusively at the selected contract store 407 in an amountcorresponding to the gift card amount. The printing at block 406 andactivation at block 407 may be done at the same point of sale, forexample at a kiosk or other computer at a retail store. When a kiosk orcomputing device is not equipped with a printer, the gift card may beprinted in a different location within a store and delivered to thecustomer at checkout. In the case of a pharmacy retail store vendor, thegift card may be picked up with a prescription fill. Alternatively, inone embodiment the printing may done at a store for pickup after thecustomer customizes his gift card online via, for example, the Internet.Alternatively, the gift card may be printed at an independent mail andpackaging facility and subsequently mailed to a customer.

Activating the gift card at block 407 may involve coding an indicationon a magnetic strip (e.g., 901 of FIG. 9) of the gift card that the giftcard is active. Activating may also include providing an entry in anaccounting system that the gift card is active. For example, each giftcard may be uniquely identified with an identifier printed on the cardor coded on the magnetic strip. An entry into the account system mayassociate the identifier with an indicator that the card is active. Thisentry may be, for example, in an account maintained by a contract storeas well as the vending store. Activating may also include associating avalue, such as a dollar amount, on the card. This may be done by codingthe magnetic strip accordingly. In one embodiment, as purchases are madewith the card at a vendor retail store or at a contract store, theamount of the purchases may be deducted from the amount remaining on thecard. This deduction may be coded on the gift and/or in an accountassociated with the gift card identifier. Some gift cards may bereloadable (i.e., value may be added to the card multiple times)depending on third party and vendor rules.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a computer display that may bepresented to a customer wishing to customize and purchase a gift card.In this embodiment, the customer may be provided a list of participating(or contracted) stores in which the gift card may be redeemed. The giftcard may be redeemed at more than one store, including the store thatvends the gift card, or may be limited to redemption at only one store.As discussed above, two or more companies that sell complimentaryproducts may each experience increased sales by vending a gift card atone company's store that is redeemable at the other company's store orat both companies' stores. Thus, some retail companies, such aspharmacies, may desire to cross promote gift card sales with othercompanies.

However, in the case of multiple contract store selections, a customermay be restricted to only certain combinations of contract stores thatmay redeem the card. This may be the case where the vendor store wouldlike to isolate the associations between two or more of its contractstores. For example, while some store arrangements may be complimentary,other combinations may be detrimental to one or more participants of agift card program. For example, a retail company A may have arelationship or arrangement with a retail company B and a retail companyC. This may be driven by the fact that gift cards may be freely redeemedbetween company A and company B or company A and company C. However, inthe situation where company B and company C are competitors, having agift card that is vended by company A that may be redeemed at bothcompany B and company C may be detrimental to company B and C. Thus,some exclusivity may be desired in a gift card arrangement between A, B,and C.

Because the number of design templates may be too numerous to display atone time, FIG. 6 illustrates a list of design template categories thatmay be presented to a user to during the customization process.Categories may be generally organized by event or recipient. Thesecategories may be broken into subcategories. For example, a list ofgeneral categories may include holidays, personal events, seasonalgreetings, general events, business card designs, layout, etc.Subcategories for the general category of personal events may include,for example, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, etc. After thesubcategory is selected, a user may be presented a number of designtemplates for the category or subcategory as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Once a category or subcategory is chosen, a customization screen showinga selected design template may be used as illustrated in FIG. 8. Thedesign template may include a front as illustrated in FIG. 8, and backas illustrated in FIG. 9. The customization system and method may startwith a blank card stock having only an magnetic stripe imprinted oneside for storing identification information. In some cases, where thereis little customization to be done to one side of the card (e.g., theback), a terms and conditions section 902, and one or more company logos903 and 904 may be part of the stock card. In other cases, to bediscussed below, the terms and conditions and company logos may becustomized or printed by the system as well.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, a template may include a plurality of fields801-806 and a layout for the plurality of fields. A field may simply bea container or an area that provides a graphic or a text and ispositioned on a card outline 801. The relative positions of theplurality of fields 801-806 on a template may constitute a templatelayout.

Customization of a gift card may involve allowing a customer to changeor determine the parameters of a field, such as the content of a fieldor the position of the field, thereby manipulating the layout of thegift card. Customization of the gift card may include allowing acustomer to provide a photo which may be incorporated into a field 802of the gift card, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Options for providing aphoto may include customer scan-in, customer provided storage media,Internet albums, existing photo store (stock photos), Internet, customertemporary photo store. Customer provided storage media may include flashdrives from cameras, cell phones, personal scanners, etc. or othercomputer readable medium, such as floppy disks and compact disks. In oneembodiment, a vendor, such as a pharmacy, may have an archive of photosfor the customer in a database accessible by a point of serviceterminal, such as a kiosk. This may be the case, for example, where acustomer enters a pharmacy store for developing prints from a digitalcamera. In this situation, the customer may be directed to a point ofservice terminal, such as a kiosk, to access the photo archive andinsert photos into the gift card for customization.

Photos may also be provided via downloads. For example, the customer maybe provided access to the Internet for downloading particularphotographs for insertion into the gift card design. For example, acustomer may have a photo album online that is associated with thevendor for downloading pictures. In one embodiment, a kiosk 25 mayaccess a photo repository account of the customer (e.g., an accountaccessible on the Internet or within a store network) to display a setof photos for the customer to choose from and insert into a field of theselected template.

The customer may also be allowed to select a number of differentpatterns or graphics which may fill a template field. Aside from aphoto, a customer may determine the fill pattern or graphic for abackground 804, 807. A customer may also be able to customize or inserttext in a text field 803, 805. For example, the customer may provide hisor her own personal greeting 803, 805. Some gift cards may not havephotos, such as 701 in FIG. 7. The pharmacy may have licenses to thirdparty photographs, characters, or other graphics 807. This may includecopyrighted clip art. These graphics 807 may also be inserted intoselect fields of the design template.

In one embodiment, the customer may be allowed to customize anaccompanying envelope. The envelope may provide designated space forproviding a “To,”, “From,” and “$ Amount” fields for fill in by customervia handwriting or printer. The envelope may be sized for the gift card.

The vendor may implement rules for how the templates may be modified.This may be useful, for example, to protect certain fields or layoutsthe vendor feels should not be tampered with to protect its contractedparties. For example, a contracted party may provide a notice specificto the contract party (e.g., a policy, a terms and conditions notice, acontract, etc.) that the vendor may be required to place on the card.Accordingly, this field may be made non-modifiable. In one embodiment(not shown), a denomination or amount on the gift card may be a field onthe template that is non-modifiable and non-selectable.

Whether a field is modifiable or non-modifiable may be designated by arule set. This rule set may be captured by a table or other indexingmechanism. In one embodiment, the rule set for each of the plurality offields may have a number of parameters associated with it. This mayinclude a position, a shape, a size, and a content of a field. Each ofthe parameters may include an associated parameter indicating whetherthe parameter is modifiable or non-modifiable. Thus, a subset of the setof parameters of a field may be designated modifiable while otherparameters are non-modifiable. For example, while the content of a fieldmay be made modifiable, the position or size of the field may be madenon-modifiable.

Additionally, another field parameter may be used to determine what kindof content may be inserted into the field. For example, when a photofield is being modified, a filter may be implemented to recognizeundesirable content that may be prevented from being inserted. A filtermay also be applied to text content.

Another parameter may be used to set a relationship between two fields.For example, a contracted third party may provide rules for acceptablelogo use to prevent dilution of a logo. These rules may includerestrictions on the placement and positioning of the logo on the giftcard, as well as how the logo may be used in combination withcustomizable fields. Thus, certain fields, such as a logo field, mayonly be adjusted (e.g., logo position) with other fields. For example,when fields overlap one another, the logo field may have a parameter onwhich field is shown on top, or is dominant over the other field. Thelogo field may be made to always be on top of another field.Alternatively, in situations where there are multiple contractedparties, the logos of each company may only be repositioned in unisonwith all other logos.

In one embodiment, instead of displaying a text listing of categories,the user may be presented with a visual picture of several gift cardtemplates 1000 as illustrated in FIG. 10. In this situation, the textlisting of categories illustrated in FIG. 6, may only be presented(e.g., as an option) after a graphical listing of the templates isdisplayed. The gift card templates may be a representation of a giftcard template category. For example, one template of each gift cardcategory may be displayed. The gift card templates 1000 may also bedisplayed by event type, a greeting type, or a layout (e.g., including acolor scheme and texture, or field positions).

In one embodiment, the display of templates may be based on a user inputor characteristic. For example, a set of templates may be presented to auser based on a history of previous use. For example, if a userpreviously customized a birthday gift card, then the system may presenta default set of birthday templates under the personal events categorieswhen the user attempts to create anew gift card. In this situation, thecomputing device may be programmed to keep a record of the user via anaccount. For example, the user may have the option of creating anaccount using a login and/or password. In this manner, the computer cantrack previous customization history.

In another embodiment, the listing of templates may be based on apromotion code. In one embodiment, a receipt from the vending store or acontract store may provide an invitation (perhaps including anincentive) for a user to purchase a gift card, based on a purchase. Thetemplates may be related to an item of purchase. For example, if theuser purchased a picture frame, templates for anniversary related eventsmay be displayed first. Another source of a promotion code may be when auser in the store takes a coupon for purchasing a toy or product thatincludes a copyrighted character. The vending store may presenttemplates containing the copyrighted characters based on the promotioncode.

In another embodiment, the listing of templates may be based on aninputted text message. For example, in the display of FIG. 11, anadditional input text box 1101 may be displayed to the user with aprompt to enter a gift card category. The user may type in a phrase thatrelates to a gift card category. For example, if the user types in theword “anniversary,” then the anniversary gift card templates may bedisplayed. Alternatively, input box may be displayed with a prompt for agift card message or greeting. If the inputted text is, for example,“happy birthday,” (as illustrated by 1101) then templates associatedwith birthday themes 1102 may be displayed.

There may exist various related selling opportunities to gift cardspurchases for some types of retail stores. Some pharmacies, for example,may have existing photo kiosks (which only vend physical prints ofdigital photos uploaded by a customer using portable storage devices)which may be linked to a gift card vending kiosk as describe above. Inthis situation, during the transaction with the customer at the photokiosk, the photo kiosk may display, prompt, or otherwise advertise tothe customer that the photos of the customer may be used in acustomizable gift card. Thereafter, the customer may be directed to thegift card kiosk, to customize a gift card with the option of usingphotos from the collection of photos the customer uploaded at the photokiosk. In this case, the gift card kiosk may access the customer photosat the photo kiosk in a number of ways. For example, the photo kiosk maybe linked to the gift card kiosk and the gift card kiosk may be adaptedto retrieve photos from the photo kiosk. Alternatively, the photo kioskmay simply upload its photos to a database archive that is accessible tothe gift card kiosk. It should be noted that this arrangement betweenhaving a separate photo kiosk and gift card kiosk may be replaced orsupplemented by a kiosk that provides both photo services (i.e., a kioskthat prints out photos from digital media) and gift card services.

In another embodiment, a vendor store may provide a postal stamp machinethat vends stamps with the vendor's logo. In this situation, the postalstamp machine may display, prompt, or otherwise advertise to thecustomer that gift cards may be customized and purchased along with orin addition to the photo stamp purchase. Similar to the photo kioskdescribed above, the photo stamp kiosk may be combined with the giftcard system or as a separate kiosk.

In another embodiment, the gift card may be advertised or marketed as aform of a business card. In this situation, a set of templates forbusiness information, as illustrated by the business category 605 ofFIG. 6, may be displayed as the user is proceeding through thecustomization process described above. The business templates mayprovide logo fields for both the user's business as well as the giftcard vendor, or other contracted stores. The rule set for customizationmay be set by the vendor as appropriate to prevent any dilution of thevendor and/or contract store logos. For example, the vendor and/orcontract store logos may be shown less prominently on the front or onlyon the back side of the card, with an appropriate disclaimer indicatinga dissociation. One benefit of combining a gift card with businessinformation is that because the business-gift card has a monetary value,their may be an increased chance that the recipient of such a card mayretain the card and remember the card. It should be noted that otheradvertising may also be placed on the card.

1. A method of customizing a gift card comprising: storing a plurality of design templates in a computer-readable medium, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields; displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set; receiving a set of inputs from a customer including a contract store selection; a design template selection; a gift card amount, wherein the gift card amount corresponds to a payment received from the customer by a vendor; and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner at a point of service location, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium specific to the user; printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the user provided photo selected by the user; and activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an agreement between the contract store and the vendor of the gift card, wherein the contract store agrees to honor a purchase at the contract store based on the amount on the gift card if the contract store is designated by the gift card.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein activating comprises authorizing the gift card for use at the selected contract store and forwarding payment data pertaining to the activated gift card to a server computer associated with the selected contract store.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one field of the selected template comprises a logo of the selected contract store or a logo of the vendor of the gift card, and wherein at least one field comprises at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule set comprises rules designating a set of modifiable and non-modifiable field parameters.
 6. The method of claim 9, wherein a field parameter includes at least one of a position, a shape, a size or a layout of a field.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of templates is displayed based on at least one of a customized text message inputted by the user, a browsing pattern of a user for previously displayed templates, an existing history of purchased gift cards, a user identity, or a promotion code.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the user provided photo to recognize undesirable content and preventing the customized gift card from being printed with the photo.
 9. A kiosk for vending customized gift cards comprising: a display unit that is capable of generating video images; a first input device; a processing apparatus operatively coupled to the display unit and the first input device, the processing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor; a network interface connected to a network and to the processing apparatus; the processing apparatus being programmed to: display a not of stores under contract with a gift card vendor; display a plurality of design templates, wherein the templates include a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields, and wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable based on a rule set; receive a set of inputs from a customer including a design template selection; a contract store selection; a payment value, wherein the payment value is based on a payment received; and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner at a point of service location, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium specific to the user; print the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection and the user provided photo selected by the user; and activate the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the payment received.
 10. The kiosk of claim 9, wherein the processing apparatus is further programmed filter the user provided photo to recognize undesirable content and prevent the customized gift card from being printed with the photo.
 11. The kiosk of claim 9, wherein the processing apparatus is further programmed to authorize the gift card for use at the selected contract store and forward payment data pertaining to the activated gift card to a server computer associated with the selected contract store.
 12. A system for selling customized gift cards comprising: a plurality of retail stores under contract with a gift card vendor, the plurality of retail stores connected by a network computer system; a database for storing a plurality of design templates, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields; a first computer of the network computer system for displaying a listing of the plurality of contract retail stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one design template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates are modifiable by a customer based on a rule set; an input device to receive a set of inputs from a customer including a design template selection, a contract store selection, and a purchase amount, wherein the purchase amount is based on a payment received; wherein at least one field of the selected template comprises a logo of the selected contract store and wherein the rule set comprises a rule for a parameter of the logo field which prevents overlapping a second field over the logo field; and a printing device for printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the purchase amount.
 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least a second field including at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the logo field is a non-modifiable field as designated in the rule set.
 15. A method of customizing a gift card comprising: storing a plurality of design templates in a computer-readable medium, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields; displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a rule set; receiving a set of inputs from a customer including a contract store selection; a design template selection and a gift card amount, wherein the gift card amount corresponds to a payment received from the customer by a vendor; including in a non-modifiable field of the selected template a logo of the selected contract store; preventing overlapping a second field over the logo field; printing the gift card based on the selected design template and the contract store selection; and activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising including a second field having at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor.
 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising printing the gift card at an independent mail and packaging facility and mailing the gift card to a recipient.
 18. A method of customizing a gift card comprising: storing a plurality of design templates in a database, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields; displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set; receiving a set of inputs from a customer via a computer connected to the Internet, the inputs including a contract store selection; a design template selection; a gift card amount; and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet or one or more user provided photos; printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the user provided photo selected by the user; and activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising printing the gift card at a selected retail store for subsequent pickup by the recipient of the gift card.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising printing the gift card at an independent mail and packaging facility and mailing the gift card to a recipient. 